Summary
Open-world gameshave a unique way of pulling players into vast, immersive worlds where exploration and freedom are key, and their sequels can prove to be even better than the original. When these games reach their third installment—orthreequel—they often bring refined gameplay, richer stories, and bigger maps.
The third entries in video game series have given players memorable adventures, ranging from expansive fantasy worlds to vast cities, while also revolutionizing the industry. Furthermore, many of these third installments can be enjoyed without prior experience with the earlier titles in their respective series.
Running around a world and collecting important items is what helped turnJak & Daxterinto a classic for the PS2, but each sequel went in darker directions, especiallyJak 3. It’s still a fun and comedic adventure for kids and adults alike, but with edgier tones and more mature subject matter, including Jak being more combat-focused, using guns and his light and dark Eco powers.
Jak 3presents even bigger worlds than the previous games, with the Wastelands and Edge City becoming explorable the more the player progresses. Each one is filled with hundreds of Power Cells and Precursor Orbs to collect, memorable characters to meet, and plenty of quests to accomplish.
Instead of 2D isometric visuals,Grand Theft Auto 3was the first game in the series to introduce the third-person perspective and a fully explorable world, which would prove to be a revolutionary decision. Not only would every subsequentGrand Theft Autotake fromGrand Theft Auto 3in some way, but the open-world aspectwould influence dozens of gamesthat came afterward.
Liberty City offered players an unprecedented level of freedom in 2001, enabling them to participate in various activities, such as stealing cars and going on rampages. This element contributed to the controversy surroundingGrand Theft Auto 3, which plays a significant role in the game’s history and its impact on the gaming industry as a whole.
Shadow Of The Tomb Raideris the third title in the rebootedTomb Raiderseries. It continues the story of Lara Croft, finalizing her transformation into the hardened treasure hunter that fans know and love. This time, Lara is in the jungles of Central and South America, harking back to theclassicTomb Raidergames, which often put her in exotic and tropical locations.
The way Lara controls,the expansive world filled with challenges and quests,and the cinematic storytellingclosely resemble thoseofRise of the Tomb Raider—and this is a positive aspect. It doesn’t attempt to fix what isn’t broken; instead, it successfully blends action, survival, and puzzle elements to craft another iconic adventure. There are a few improvements, including enhanced swimming mechanics, a new barter system, and additional abilities for Lara’s equipment.
Where the first two games stuck to a linear format, BioWare took the RPG and storytelling template for their games and leaped into an open world inDragon Age: Inquisition. When the player is donecreating their ideal character, they can be as heroic or villainous as they please while leading a group of ragtag heroes in a wartorn fantasy world.
Like inMass Effectand the otherDragon Agegames, choices matter, and they can drastically alter story events and relationships, especially now that the events ofDragon Age: Inquisitionhave a domino effect that carries over intoDragon Age: The Veilguard. It also presents multiple worlds to explore, offering more ways to level up the Inquisitor via grinding and completing side quests.
With a leap onto the SNES,The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Pastmaintains most of what fans loved about previous games, with Link traversing Hyrule to stop Ganon’s reign of terror. It has the dungeons, enemies, and item collecting that are still seen in the series today, but the more advanced hardware was able to execute the familiar concepts in a fresh way.
Storytelling was more involved, and 16-bit visuals allowed every area and dungeon to be diverse, especially with the ability to travel betweenlight and dark versions of Hyrule. As a result,The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Pastis still a quintessential entry in the franchise and the SNES library.
After a long hiatus between games, Bethesda brought back theFalloutfranchise in the form of a first-person RPG that immersed players in the post-apocalyptic world like never before.Fallout 3featured more detail, intense action, and storytelling that would help cement how futureFalloutgames would be made, expanding on what this entry set as the new norm.
Like allFalloutgames, this installment offers plenty of action as players explore the devastated wasteland while also providing commentary onthe consequences of war and corporate greed.Fallout 3follows the story of a protagonist who was born and raised in a thriving Vault but is forced to leave in search of their missing father. The game blends post-apocalyptic themes with retro-futuristic visuals in a way that has become iconic in modern gaming.
TheFar Crygames continue to follow a templateestablished withFar Cry 3.This game puts the player in the middle of the fully explorable Rook Islands to fight pirates and the many deadly fauna. It mixes first-person shooter action with stealth and featuresan iconic villain in the form of Vaas, who would end up being the start of the series consistently featuring a signature villain in every game.
Rather than a typical hero,Far Cry 3presents a protagonist who is constantly being warped by the violence that he and his enemies partake in. At the same time, that evolution gives the player more abilities and tools for disposing of their foes, hunting wildlife, and traversing the tropical islands. Over a decade later, Ubisoft is still usingFar Cry 3as its template for current games in the beloved franchise.
Batman: Arkham Knightwas advertised as the ultimate Batman simulator, and that is definitely a way to describe it. Rocksteady gave gamers the most detailed virtual version of Gotham City ever as a playground. With all the DLC, there are a plethora of side missions featuring a massive gallery of iconic villains to fight across the three islands.
With the Batmobile, enhanced gliding, expanded combat, and an array of gadgets, Batman is almost unstoppable inBatman: Arkham Knight. The developers madeBatman and all playable charactersfeel like they do in the comics, which, combined with a divisive but epic storyline, helped turnBatman: Arkham Knightinto the definitive Batman title.
Don’t be fooled by the “2” in its title.Red Dead Revolverbegan the series, but theRed Deadevolved heavily with each entry to make the player feel like an outlaw of the wild west, andRed Dead Redemption 2is no different. It goes back in time to show how the Van Der Linde Gang rose and fell apart due to their leader, Dutch, thuspaving the way for John Marston’s questfor revenge inRed Dead Redemption.
As Arthur Morgan, players can experience hundreds of hours' worth of content just by exploring the American frontier, from Rocky Mountain-like terrain to bayous straight out of Louisiana. Along with of top-tier visuals, there are hundreds of side quests, instances, and challenges to keep a player busy when they aren’t engaging with the dark story about outlaws.
Over a decade after its release, gamers are still enthralled byThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntthanks to its massive continent filled with monstersto hunt as Geralt of Rivia. CD Projekt Red has always filledThe Witchergames with tons of content, but the third game took it to a whole other level, and that’s without considering the substantial DLC expansions.
From a multitude of storylines to follow to discovering new threats and dark fantasy creatures to slay, befriend, or even protect,The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis an immersive RPG. The combat is fun but also requires the player to strategize rather than swinging blindly, and it features a now-beloved storyline in which Geralt is trying to reunite with his apprentice.
